<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>If You Hurt Him, I'll Knock You Back To Your Pre-Serum Self... by ZaraMelMercury</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27618563">If You Hurt Him, I'll Knock You Back To Your Pre-Serum Self...</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZaraMelMercury/pseuds/ZaraMelMercury'>ZaraMelMercury</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>IronWidow appreciation [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Attempt at Humor, Brother-Sister Relationships, Domestic Avengers, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Crack, Humor, M/M, Natasha Romanov &amp; Tony Stark Friendship, Natasha Romanov Is Not A Robot, Platonic Relationships, Post-Avengers (2012), Post-Iron Man 3, Protective Natasha Romanov, Steve Rogers and the 21st Century, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark-centric</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-07 03:34:08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,677</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27618563</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZaraMelMercury/pseuds/ZaraMelMercury</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It's movie night at the Avengers Tower and Steve and Tony are madly in love in the "honeymoon" stage of their relationship.<br/>Natasha, however, makes it quite clear to Steve how protective she is of the Tiny Genius after the movie and gives him quite the most dangerous shovel talk an assassin can give!</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Natasha Romanov &amp; Tony Stark, Steve Rogers/Tony Stark</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>IronWidow appreciation [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2020466</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>78</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>If You Hurt Him, I'll Knock You Back To Your Pre-Serum Self...</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is just a little ficlet I wrote when I got in the mood for some TonyNat friendship. 😎❤️</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Eight P.M. on a Wednesday night. </p><p>That only meant one thing to a bunch of old and tired superheroes called the Avengers...</p><p>
  <em>Movie night! </em>
</p><p>Thor was the one to pick the night's movie - "Midgardian Culture is quite simply more predictable than I thought. There is certainly a lot more violence in this <em>'</em><em>pop culture Hollywood' </em>that seems only to reflect on your tragic history, my good friends!"</p><p>This, in turn, earned an indignant squawk of protest from Tony, a little offended, a snicker from Nat, a blush from both Bruce and Steve who rubbed the backs of their necks, embarrassed, and scoff from Clint!</p><p>But no-one could deny that the God had spoken the truth. </p><p>No-one in the team could also deny the obvious love that was shared between a <em>certain</em> genius and a <em>certain</em> supersoldier!</p><p>Tony and Steve were snuggled up together, cozily, on their own love seat. It seemed that one of them could not spend five minutes separated from the other, before sticking themselves back to each other's side! </p><p>The team found it both equally endearing and both equally <em><strong>sickening!</strong></em></p><p> </p><p>Natasha found it worrying. </p><p> </p><p>Despite her cold exterior, she had really come to care for her team. </p><p>Especially for Tony. </p><p> </p><p>After supervising him undercover as Natalie Rushman, the spy couldn't stop herself from falling in love with just about every aspect of Tony, just like many others had done.</p><p>She became immediately captivated by his magnetic personality and she was drawn in deep, curiously hoping to uncover the man beneath those masks...</p><p> </p><p>But what she found had broken her heart.</p><p> </p><p>She discovered a man who was traumatized multiple times in his life and had undergone something unknown to man's creation. Something so excruciating, it was almost as painful as reliving her days in the Red Room.</p><p>She had never heard of anything like it.</p><p>Tony had won her respect the day she read about him inventing the arc reactor in nothing but a dark cave in Afghanistan, surrounded by terrorists out for his blood. </p><p>A little reckless, she thought, but it screamed <em>Tony! </em>so loudly nonetheless. </p><p>Something that she also grew to love about the brunette was how he treated people and the good he hoped to accomplish with Stark Industries. </p><p>She hated that it took something so <em>inhumane</em> for the former playboy's head and heart to change, but seeing the good come from it and seeing Tony change into the person he was today was something really wonderful! </p><p>Tony treated all life precious. Even Artificial life.</p><p>He was too beautiful a human for this world. </p><p>Natasha admired Tony's intelligence, his bravery, his heart of gold, his grit and his perseverance - though she would never admit to it aloud. </p><p>So, she was <em><strong>VERY</strong>, </em>extremely overprotective of him.</p><p>She and Pepper were both the proud mama bears of Tony Stark and Rhodey was <strong><em>definitely</em></strong> something scarier than a papa bear when protecting Tony!</p><p>So that answered <em>that </em>question to anyone curious. </p><p> </p><p>She eyed Steve now during movie night. </p><p>Tony looked happy with him. His smiles were all dopey and he was blushing non-stop! His eyes sparkled brighter than Natasha had ever seen. </p><p>It warmed her heart and she found herself smiling fondly at the brunette. </p><p>Smiling fondly at Tony, who was cuddled up in Steve's lap and squealing whenever the soldier tickled him! </p><p>That earned a lot of shushing from the team, but the love birds obviously didn't care. </p><p>This just made Natasha's job after the movie all the more serious. </p><p> </p><p>Clint caught her glaring at the screen. </p><p>He knew that look.</p><p>He knew the concentration in Nat's predatory stare. </p><p>He leaned over and whisper jokingly, "Jeez, Nat, do you plan on murdering someone later?" He laughed at his own comment. </p><p>But Nat's face didn't change. </p><p>"Maybe," was all she muttered, deadly. </p><p>Clint gulped and took that cue to just carry on eating his own popcorn! Nat smirked at him. </p><p>But Barton wasn't stupid,contrary to popular belief. He'd figured out that the intensity of Natasha's stares was caused, <em>firstly: </em>by whoever her target was, and <em>secondly: </em>whatever she planned to do with said target. </p><p>To the untrained eye, her glare would appear very leathal, but on the Spy Twin's scale, it was quite moderate. </p><p>But it still didn't make Clint feel any <em>less</em> scared for whoever was getting their ass whooped tonight!</p><p>He silently began ticking off all the things that might've ticked off Nat for the month ...</p><p> </p><p>*                             *                                 *</p><p> </p><p>Once the movie ended, the gang steadily made their way back to their own floors. </p><p>Natasha basically slapped Clint upside the head about five times trying to convince him that it <em>wasn't</em> <em>him </em>she was going to "kill"! </p><p>"Barton, if you're so worried, then I <em><strong>will</strong></em> kill you, no problem! Would you want that?" </p><p>He ran faster than a ferrari to his floor. </p><p>Steve got up last, soley because of a small brunette who was fast asleep in his arms, wrapped up in a blanket burrito. Tony mumbled in his sleep and wrinkled his nose adorably, <em>like a kitten. </em></p><p>As Steve headed to the elevator, Natasha called to him on her way to the kitchen, "Steve, as soon as you've put Tony to bed, I need your help with the dishes, okay?" </p><p>"Sure thing Nat. Just give me fifteen." </p><p> </p><p>About fifteen minutes and thirty seconds later, Steve found himself on the floor! He was pinned up, right against the wall with Nat's leg kicked up and her knee jabbing harshly at his chest! </p><p>
  <em>WHAM! </em>
</p><p>Steve got the oxygen knocked out of him at a second kick to the groin! </p><p>"I- I really don't... don't wanna know... how fast it took you to... aim for both of them!" </p><p>Steve still felt choked up  while trying to heave in some deep breaths. </p><p>"Nat," he wheezed out, "Remind me why, exactly, I'm in a death grip again? Do I need to fill out my will?" </p><p>Nat smirked.</p><p>In one swift movement, she pulled Steve back onto his feet and locked his hands in a steel grip by his sides!</p><p>
  <em>Chained to the wall.</em>
</p><p>Like Tony, Natasha had the magnetic ability to make herself larger than anyone in the room, despite being a head shorter. She made her presence known. And Steve felt remarkably like his pre-serum, scrawny self as he was hoisted a few centimeters off the floor! </p><p>He was faced with a deadly evil, feline gaze from the red-headed spy who was smiling proudly at herself for catching her latest prey...</p><p>"Wrong moment for sarcasm, Rogers... But <em>you</em>, my good captain," she purred innocently, "had come down to help me with the dishes. I then recall ramming you to the floor and you squealed like a five-year old girl! I believe your exact words before disaster struck were... "</p><p>She cleared her throat and depened her voice an octave lower than Steve's to begin the mockery, "  '<em>Okay Nat, I'm here to help! Where do you want me to start--' </em></p><p>"And then <strong>BAM!</strong>" she punctuated the sound effect by slamming Steve's whole body back into the wall!</p><p>"Knocked to the ground by the one and only Ms Romanoff!" </p><p>Natasha snickered, clearly smug at how her plan was going. </p><p>Steve nodded helplessly in defeat and sighed, despairingly, "Alright, so what happens now?" </p><p>In response, she tightened her grip on Steve's arms, making him flinch. Steve soon began twisting in pain against the wall. </p><p>"<em>Now</em>, Mr Rogers, <strong><em>you</em></strong> will listen whilst <strong><em>I</em> </strong>make one thing <strong><em>VERY, </em></strong><em>VERY </em>clear to you..." </p><p>Steve had never seen eyes blaze so strong with fury. Her gaze was like ice, licking its way into Steve's veins, into his blood and into his heart. </p><p>Natasha's nails dug into the blonde's skin, drawing droplets of actual blood. He was completely pinned. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>And completely terrified!... </em>
</p><p> </p><p>"If you even <strong><em>DARE </em></strong>hurt him," she hissed into Steve's face, her eyes flashing red, "Then I will <em><strong>personally</strong></em> make it my life's mission to torture you enough to send you reeling back into the body of your <strong>small</strong> and <strong>scrawny</strong> asthmatic self!" she paused, twisting Steve's skin so that it burned a and his teeth clenched shut. His eyes pinched closed.</p><p>"I will most certainly put a hurt on you <em>SO</em> <strong><em>BAD</em></strong>, Rogers..." Her voice became a deathly cold whisper, "You will be paralyzed for the next seventy years of your lifetime ..." </p><p> </p><p>She dropped him immediately. </p><p> </p><p>Steve crashed to floor, heaving in deep gulps of air that he didn't even know he was holding! </p><p>He sputtered out feebly, "B-but Nat, you know--you <strong>know</strong> that I would <strong><em>never</em>-</strong>" </p><p>"For now, yes," she cut in, glaring down at him.</p><p>The captain felt so small under her soul-burning glare. </p><p>"That's what they <em>all</em> say in the beginning," she continued, "But then they end up hurting him so bad, he says he might as well rather be <strong>dead.</strong>" </p><p>Steve sucked in a breath at her words. His eyes widened to saucers. </p><p>"Yeah Steve," she nodded, her face still stoic, but cracked and pained as she remembered the conversations she'd had with Tony down in his lab.</p><p>She would deliver food from Pepper's prompting that Tony should get something into that<em> 'genius stomach'! </em></p><p>Natasha remembered how one conversation had led to Tony even having a panic attack. </p><p>The spy had cursed all who had ever harmed him as she rocked the sobbing brunette gently from side to side; rubbing his back and playing with his hair until his sniffles began to quiet down. </p><p>It was then that their bond was formed.</p><p>And yet, it had come to be one of Nat's favorite moments-- Tony was so vulnerable and yet... he <em>trusted</em> her enough to let her help him through his panic attack? <em>That</em> was something she'd always treasure. </p><p>"They <strong>always</strong> leave him feeling like garbage," she told the blonde now. </p><p>As quick as a bolt of lighting, Natasha was back at eye-level with Steve on the floor and slammed a bone-crushing fist to his chest again!</p><p>Steve gasped out, coughing. </p><p>"Rogers, look at me!" Natasha firmly commanded, her voice deep and solid.</p><p>Steve's head turned up into her steely gaze, his eyes still wide with fear and disbelief at Tony's abusive past, but he never broke eye-contact.</p><p>Natasha's eyes flared and her tone was venomous, "You <strong>will</strong> know better than to give me a reason to torture you as I please, Steve. Because you <strong><em>will </em></strong>treat Tony like he deserves the universe. Because he <em>does. </em>And I promise you that I <strong>will</strong> kill you anyway if you ever tell him I said that! Have we reached an understanding?" </p><p>She clocked her head to the side, her eyebrows raised.</p><p>She silently dared him to go at her.</p><p>But Steve nodded dumbly.</p><p>It was all he could do after seeing Natasha haul him like a piece of meat! But, then again... a lioness <em>was</em> a fitting description for her, Steve concluded. </p><p>"Good!" she smiled sweetly. </p><p>As quick as it had appeared, her icy gaze was gone and she was helping Steve up from the floor. </p><p>The elevator <em>binged </em>just as Steve was settled back on his feet.</p><p>As he dusted off, still keeping a weary eye on Nat, he looked up to see a very sleepy Tony! He was rubbing his eyes adorably like a tiny kid!</p><p>The genius looked disheveled in his PJs, but didn't seem to care. He stared at Steve. </p><p>"What did I miss?" he asked sleepily, yawning. </p><p>"Oh, nothing much, my Antoshka." </p><p>Steve jumped may fifty feet into the air! </p><p>'<em>How did Nat get over there to the sink so quickly?!' </em></p><p>The captain shook his head and decided not to question it. He pulled Tony to his side and gave him a peck on the forehead. </p><p>Tony hummed contently at the touch. </p><p>Natasha came over to them and held her arms out to Tony, silently asking for a hug. </p><p>Steve let him go and watched in amazement as Nat pulled him for a huge bear hug and kissed his temple. Tony whined at the pampering, but Nat just peppered more kisses onto the side of his face! </p><p>"<em>Alright</em>, Mama-Bear!" Tony pulled away whining, "If you're finished, then I'd very much like to take a certain blonde captain up to bed, since I can't sleep without him." </p><p>Tony turned with his soft brown eyes gazing vulnerably back at Steve. He had a small, hopeful smile donning his face. </p><p>Steve's heart leapt. </p><p><em>God</em>, he loved this man so much! </p><p>"Of course, Doll," Steve replied, smiling dopily. </p><p>Nat rolled her eyes at their lovey-dovey antics, but nodded to Steve-- seemingly satisfied with his answer. She ruffled Tony's hair fondly as the couple stepped into the elevator.</p><p>With one last knowing glare thrown at Steve by Nat, the elevator doors slid shut and a certain genius and supersoldier enjoyed each other's company, as they rode up to their floor. </p><p>And then, after a minute, Tony broke the silence. </p><p>"She really gave you one helluva shovel talk didn't she, Love?" he asked out of the blue. </p><p>Steve froze.</p><p>His eyes widening comically! </p><p>'<em><strong>Oh no!</strong> Oh no! Oh no! Tony knows! Nat's going to kill me! How did Tony know?! Well, you know what, it doesn't matter! I've got to book a ticket to the Arabian Desert. I've gotta lay low for a couple months--maybe a year at most! I'll have to-' </em></p><p>Steve suddenly heard howling laughter beside him and saw tears of joy run down Tony's face! He was crying with joy! </p><p>"<strong><em>How</em> <em>in the hell</em></strong> can you <em>possibly</em> be laughing at a time like this?!" Steve's voice rose two octaves higher hysterically, which made Tony laugh even more! </p><p>"H-How- How could I n-not be laughing?!" Tony wheezed out, still clearly having the time of his life! </p><p>He gave Steve a big hug as they entered their floor and reached up on the tips of his toes to give Steve a kiss, "Oh, I'm sorry, My Honey, but your face was <strong><em>priceless!</em> </strong>I had Jarvis search the security cameras for you, when I decided you had taken too long and <em>voila! </em>I see your cute butt on the floor, <strong>completely flustered</strong> while Nat threatened to cut off your balls!" </p><p>Tony burst out laughing again as the fell into bed. </p><p>Steve cuddled his genius close and gave him one last kiss goodnight. </p><p>"She didn't threaten to cut off my balls," he said, exasperated. Steve rolled his eyes, knowing this wouldn't go away anytime soon. </p><p>Tony hummed, smiling, "Mmmm, whatever you say, Pumpkin!" </p><p> </p><p>Little did Steve know that he would go to regret that previous statement... </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Most probably a few hours later, around 3:30am, Steve awoke to Tony <strong>screaming! </strong></p><p>His eyes shot open and his focus immediately zeroed in on Tony standing in the doorway of their en-suite bathroom - probably from getting a glass of water - but his hands were over his mouth and his eyes owlishly wide! </p><p>"Tony, what's happened? Why are you scre- <strong><em>OH MY GOD!</em>" </strong></p><p>Steve looked down to see an actual <strong>arrow</strong> <em>extremely </em>close to his manhood!</p><p>He gasped and sucked in a deep breath and pulled the arrow out from the mattress and duvet. </p><p>"Sorry Steve!" someone called from above them.</p><p>The pair looked up to see Clint hanging halfway out of the vent shaft, waving apologetically. Though they all knew that he secretly found this to be <em>EXTREMELY</em> funny! </p><p>The archer had his bow and arrow with him.</p><p>Steve's eyes narrowed murderously, but, before he could say anything, Clint spoke up again, "Nat threatened to close the vents <em>and</em> rip my bird's nests up here to <em>shreds</em>, if I didn't send that message to you on her behalf! She said that it was your first warning out of three, before she'd punish you for one wrong move on your part. " </p><p>He pointed to the arrow that had nearly pierced Steve's nether region. </p><p> </p><p>Steve groaned, diving back down to sleep. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>And, if Nat replayed the video footage <strong><em>the entire morning</em></strong> after breakfast, to the <em><strong>whole team... </strong></em>well, then that was nobody's business! </p><p> </p><p>But the message was certainly clear: don't mess with a lioness' cub! </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><em><strong>Fin</strong></em>. </p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>